Pull-out spout assembly



Marh 21, 1967 H. B.|. |TTLEF1E| D 3,3w206 PULL'OUT SPOUT ASSEMBLY Filed March 8, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n Muga IVZO' ,/7)r ME.

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7; 9\ 5 .L /9 5 6 8 .l 8 L6 5 s i /3 f 2/ i f g 5 INVENTOR March 21, 1,967 H. B. LITTLEFIELD PULL-OUT SPOUT ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed.l March 8, 1965 United States Patent O 3,310,206 PULL-OUT SPOUT ASSEMBLY Herrick B. Littleeld, Noroton, Conn., assignor to R. W.

Shore Mfg. Co., Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 437,967 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-525) The present invention relates to pull-out spout assemblies.

For packaging, transporting and dispensing various types of liquids in wide fields of use industries have shown a preference for steel containers as drums or cans of approximately five gallons capacity to facilitate handling. An object of the present invention when applied to such a container has been to provide, for secure closure and effective pouring, a pull-out spout assembly the parts of which can be produced economically in desired forms from a suitable material, such as polyethylene or the like, which has favorable chemical and physical properties for the purpose.

A further object has been to provide an assembly of a pull-out spout with a fitting for attachment to a container, which fitting includes initially a readily removable sealing diaphragm integral therewith and extending across an open outer end portion of the neck thereof and in which outer end portions of the spout can be initially engaged to form in effect an assembly which can advantageously be handled as a unit and secured in -operative relation to the discharge opening in a container after the latter has been filled with a desired charge or quantity of liquid.

A further object of the invention has been to provide a pull-out spout assembly wherein the spout includes features of construction which reduce or inhibit the turbulance commonly marked by gurgling when liquid is poured from a container through a spout.

A further object has been to avoid the undesirable occurrence of spurting commonly occasioned when excessive pressure, developing in the container, causes liquid content to be driven or to spurt out forcibly through the fitting when the closure cap, or the sealing or confining element, is opened or removed therefrom.

In general, a pull-out spout assembly according to the present invention and which attains the above-noted and other objectives and advantages comprises a tubular spout and a generally annular fitting including a base and a neck portion, said fitting being adapted to be secured to a container in operative relation to a receiving and discharge opening in a wall thereof. The tubular spout is adapted for initial endwise assembling movement into the fitting and for subsequent axial adjustment therein between retracted and extended or pouring positions in relation thereto. A temporary seal comprising a diaphragm or tamperproof` closure formed integrally with and in the neck of said fitting initially extends transversely across its interior, the under side of said diaphragm being provided with downwardly directed spacing ribs. Angularly spaced inner shoulders extend inwardly from normal interior surface portions of said neck, being arranged therein with their top ends terminating below said diaphragm.

Said spout includes a resilient bendable fiange or angularly spaced resilient bendable flanges extending laterally from its top edge; and is formed with an interiorly positioned annular flange or baflie defining a restricted opening for the passage of liquid as it is discharged through the spout, said opening being advantageously at the bottom or inlet end of the spout and of less diameter -or cross-sectional area than that of the normal interior thereof.

Outer edge portions of said flange or fianges of the spout, when in unstressed condition, define, in effect, a circle whereof the diameter is greater than that lower or 3,310,206 Patented Mar. 2l, 1967 inner end portions of the neck of the normal inside diameter of the fitting. Thus, when the parts are being assembled, said outer fiange edges yielding and slidably engage interior surfaces of `said neck portion of the fitting as the spout is moved axially therein to position said fianges between said |diaphragm and the adjacent upper ends of said shoulders.

To 1facilitate forming said unitary assembly and to provide the desired equalization of pressure in the container with that in the spout, the general outside diameter of the spout and the dimensions and positions of said inner shoulders are such that peripheral portions of the spout normally ride during axial movement thereof on inwardly exposed faces of said inner shoulders which thus effectively maintain annular spacing between the inner surface portions of the fitting and opposed outer surface portions of the spout. Also -axial passage of the top end of the spout into initial assembled position in the fitting during assembly is facilitated in that the fianges bend or yield sufficiently to permit upward or outward movement thereof past the spacing shoulders. When said fianges spring back toward normal extended condition, having passed the upper ends of said shoulders, they cooperate with said upper ends which to some extent act as stops to limit accidental displacement of the spout downwardly or inwardly from its initially assembled position in relation to the fitting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear and it may be better understood from the following specification in which an embodiment thereof is more particularly described by reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a View partly in central vertical section and partly in side elevation of a fitting and a spout prior to initial assembly thereof;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary view in central vertical section showing the upper or outer end of the spout as initially engaged in the fitting and with the diaphragm in sealing position in the neck thereof;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary View in central vertical section showing the spout in extended or pouring condition after removal of the sealing diaphragm from within the fitting;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary View in central vertical section showing a typical arrangement of the upper or outer end of the spout in the fitting after removal of the diaphragm and after the spout is returned to retracted position from its extended or pouring position as seen in FIG. 3 and with a closure cap releasably secured on t-he fitting;

FIG. 5, a transverse section from the line 5 5, FIG. 2;

FIG. 6, a transverse section from the line 6 6, FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7, an enlarged fragmentary view in central vertical section which illustrates more clearly the initial relationship of upper or outer end parts of the spout to the fitting which is more generally shown in FIG. 2.

As seen in FIG. l, an embodiment of my invention comprises a fitting 1 and a spout 2, both advantageously formed of polyethylene, or other appropriate material. Fitting 1 is adapted to be secured in a known manner, or by other appropriate means at the inlet and discharge opening of a container for liquid or fluid materials, not shown. For this purpose, a clamping ring, as 3, engaging the base of the fitting, is commonly provided.

Said fitting 1 initially includes, as an integral part, a sealing diaphragm 4 extending across its opening at an outer end portion of the neck and which is advantageously provided at its top side with a finger hold or relatively [flexible or bendable tab 5 and at its under side, with transversely disposed downwardly extending ribs 6. Diaphragm 4 is supported in initial sealing position in the fitting 1 by a peripherally extending joint 7 which is reduced or weakened to facilitate removal of the dia phragm in preparation for pulling the spout 2 out to pouring position, FIG. 3.

Angularly spaced projections S extend radially inwardly from the interior substantially cylindrical surface of the neck of said fitting, their upper end faces A12 being operatively arranged in a plane below the level of the plane of the under side faces of ribs 6. The neck of said fitting 1 is also formed at its outer end with an annular shoulder 9 in a plane at a level below the plane of the top edge 10 of the fitting. The bottom end port-ions of the bore of fitting 1 are ared, as at 13, to provide a relatively widened inner end opening.

Spout 2, as seen in FIG. 1, includes a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion of less diameter than that of the bore or interior opening of fitting 1 and preferably such as to ride freely on inwardly exposed surface portions of projections 8, FIGS. 2 and 4.

The lower end of spout 2 is flared at 15 to a contour and dimension corresponding to the flared opening 13 in fitting 1. Spout 2 also includes an inwardly extending annular fiange which defines an opening 16 of smaller diameter than the base or interior opening of said spout. Angularly spaced longitudinal ribs 17 extend radially inwardly into the interior of spout 2.

At its upper or outer end, spout 2 is formed with a shallow peripheral channel or groove 18; and means for retaining said spout in effective retracted positions in fitting 1 include a laterally extending flexible peripheral flange contiguous with said groove and provided with adequate openings to permit the passage of gases, in effect, through openings in said ange or between its under and top surfaces. This feature of the illustrated embodiment may conveniently comprise angularly spaced fiange parts 19 separated by slots or notches 20 which afford the desired openings, said parts being readily bendable from normally or initially extended position, as seen in FIG. 1, to bent back or initially assembled condition, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 7; and are returnable by resilien-ce to -extended position, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The reduction in thickness of the spout wall at channel or groove 1S contributes to the desired fiexibility of anges 19 and affords space to receive the outer edge portions thereof when the fitting 1 and spout 2, FIG. 1, are initially assembled by inserting the upper or outer end end of the spout into the flared lower or inner end opening of the fitting and pressing said parts together axially until they attain the initial relative positions shown in FIG. 2. It will be understood that along with this relative axial movement, outer end or peripheral portions of flange parts 19 bend downwardly as they move through the bore of the fitting and remain bent back when they reach the assembled condition seen in FIGS. 2 and 7. By reference to the latter figure, it

appea-rs that when parts 1 and 2 are so assembled, upper v or outer end port-ions of the spout are disposed in a space between and in effect determined by the lower faces of ribs 6 and the upper faces 12 of projections 8. Whether the upper edge, as 11, of spout 2 bears upwardly against ribs 6, or the bent back ends of flange parts 19' bear downwardly on faces 12 of projections 8, it is clea-r that free circulation of gases confined in the container may be maintained between the interior of spout 2 and the interior of the container through space 2'1 as defined by opposed outer surface portions of said spout and inner surface portions of said fitting.

Thus, `as seen in FIG. 7, arrows indicate .a route for the free passage of gas between space 21 and the spout interior past shoulders i8 through slots y2f) and over the top edge 11 of sa-id spout, even while the latter is in its extreme upper position and bearing against ribs 6. This occurs because spaces 22 between said ribs are in open communication with the slots and the interior of the spout.

The contemplated advantage of the above described free communication in effect between the interior of the container and upper .portions of the interior of the spout is primarily to equalize the presure of gases which commonly develop from volatile liquids in the container while in storage and before the initial seal has been removed. T-his balancing of pressures serves to avoid spurting which is not only wasteful but which can occasion other damaging or unpleasant results when the container is first opened.

'It is noted that, when fitting 1 and spout 2 are assembled as described, they can be handled conveniently as a unit which permits charging of the container with its filling and discharge opening in unobstructed condition. The spout unit, as seen in FIG. 2, is then secured in said opening by suitable means such as the clamping ring 3, for example, in a known manner, thus initially sealing the contents against leakage and tampering. In one type of assembly a screw threaded metal cap 23, not shown in FIG. 2 but, as seen in FIG. 4, is secured on the fitting with the free end of tab 5 bent down under its top wall, so as to be accessible when the cap is removed.

In use, after cap 23 is removed, :diaphragm 4 is cut out or otherwise dislodged from its sealing position by detaching i-t from the fitting along lthe joint 7 and lifted out by :means of tab 5. Due to the equalizing of pressures as above described there wllll be no spurting The tab 14 at the open -top end of spout 2 is now accessible and can readily be employed to pull the spout out to its extended or pouring position, FIG. 3. This brings the flared inner end portion tof spout 2 into close engagement with the fiare'd open inner end portion of fitting 1 which thereby serves as a stop to limit outward movemen-t of the spout 'and to prevent leakage past the spout when the container is tilted for pouring.

In case the user pours out less than the entire contents of the can and some part thereof remains for future use, the spout is pushed back into the position shown in FIG. 4, i.e. with outer edge portions of flanges 19 now in extended condition resting on shoulder 9 of the fitting. A space, as 24, is ileft between under side portions of cap 23 and the top edge |11 of spout 2 when oap 23 is secured in closing position on fitting 1. This arrangement permits continued free communication for equalizing gas pressures between the interior of container 1 and the interior of spout 2 through a path defined by the opposed spaced parts and including the space 2=1, the sliots or notches 20 and the space 24.

It has been found that smoother pouring, i.e. substantially without s-urging, is attained in lthe use of a spout assembily of the subject type wherein the opening into the spout is of relatively reduced area as compared to that of the normal spout interior. For this purpose, the annular flange or baffle at the bottom or inner end of spout 2 provides the restricted opening 16, said fiange and the ribs 17 also serving effec-tively to reinforce the spout.

I claim:

1. A pull-out spout assembly comprising a fitting open at its inner end and adapted to be secured in operative coaxial relation to an opening in a wail of a container for liquids, said fitting including a neck having a plurality of angulanly spaced projections extending inwardly from interior surface portions thereof, a tubular pull-out spout open alt its inner and outer ends and movable axially in said neck between extended pouring position and initial retracted inoperative position, whereby, when in said initial retracted position, outer end portions of the spout are operatively engaged with said spaced projections and thereby isupponted within said neck and in spaced relation to the interior surface thereof, said spout being movable axially through the inner open end of the fitting and slidable into said initial retracted position, thereby permitting Ithe fitting and the spout as an assembled unit to be secured in operative relation to said opening in the container wa'll after the liquid contents have Ibeen supplied thereto, said spout including at its outer end a resilient bendable laterally extending flange arranged, when the spout is in initial retracted condition, with portions thereof `in operative spout supporting position between the outer end of said neck and said projections and said iiange being bendable in -a direction to permit passage thereof through the bore of said fixture when moved axially to said initial retracted position therein.

2. A pull-out spout assembly according to claim 1 and wherein the peripheral continuity of said flange on the spout is interrupted to provide openings therethrough and thus to permit flow of gases between the interior of said spout and the space dened by opposed portions of the spout wall 'and the spout encircling portion of the fitting when pressure develops within the container.

3. A pull-out spout assembly according to claim 1 and wherein said flange on the spout is provided with openings through which to permit flow of gases between the interior of the spout and the space dened by opposed portions of the spout wall and the spout encircling portion of the fitting when pressure develops within the container.

4. A pull-out spout assembly comprising in combination a fitting adapted to be secured in operative coaxial relation to an opening in a wall of a container for liquids, said fitting including a tubular neck having between its ends a plurality of angularly spaced projections extending radially inwardly from interior surface portions thereof and an outer shoulder operatively positioned between said projections and the outer end of said neck, a tubular pullaout spout displaceable coaxially in said neck between retracted inoperative condition and extended pouring condition, said spout including a resilient bendable {laterally extending fiange arranged, whn the spout is in one retracted condition, with peripheral portions of said flange operatively engaging inside surface portions of the neck between said projections and said shoulder, when the spout 'is in another retracted condition, with peripheral portions of said ange operatively positioned between said shoulder and the outer end of said neck, whereby, prior to the spout being extended to pouring condition, inward axial displacement thereof is limited by said projections, and after the spout has been 'retracted from pouring condition, inward axial displacement thereof is limited by said shoulder.

S. Pull -out spout assembly according to lclaim 4 and including initially a diaphragm removably positioned across sai-d neck between said projections and the outer end of said neck and .arranged and adapted to provide a seal Ito initially coniine the contents of the container and initially to limit the extent of outward axial displacement of said spout, said assembly including a cap having a closing walll releasablly engageable on the outer end of said neck to provide a closure for the container after removal of said diaphragm, and arranged and adapted to limit outward axial displacement of said spout Ito the extent of the axial distance between the inner face of the closing wall of said cap and said shoulder, said flange on the spout being arranged and adapted in relation to said shoulder to provide open passage between the interior of the spout Iand the interior of the fitting 'and of the container whereby pressure in said container is equalized with pressure Within the spout when said cap is in operative closing engagement on the neck ofthe litting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,497,569 2/1950 Todd et al. 222-525 2,545,178 3/1951 Vaughn Z22-538 X 2,774,523 12/1956 Rieke 222-538 X 3,042,272 3/1962 Anderson 222-569 X 3,216,632 11/1965 Dearing 222-525 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,268 7/1963 Belgium.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SOBIN, Examiner. 

1. A PULL-OUT SPOUT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FITTING OPEN AT ITS INNER END AND ADAPTED TO BE SECURED IN OPERATIVE COAXIAL RELATION TO AN OPENING IN A WALL OF A CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS, SAID FITTING INCLUDING A NECK HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM INTERIOR SURFACE PORTIONS THEREOF, A TUBULAR PULL-OUT SPOUT OPEN AT ITS INNER AND OUTER ENDS AND MOVABLE AXIALLY IN SAID NECK BETWEEN EXTENDED POURING POSITION AND INITIAL RETRACTED INOPERATIVE POSITION, WHEREBY, WHEN IN SAID INITIAL RETRACTED POSITION, OUTER END PORTIONS OF THE SPOUT ARE OPERATIVELY ENGAGED WITH SAID SPACED PROJECTIONS AND THEREBY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID NECK AND IN SPACED RELATION TO THE INTERIOR SURFACE THEREOF, SAID SPOUT BEING MOVABLE AXIALLY THROUGH THE INNER OPEN END OF THE FITTING AND SLIDABLE INTO SAID INITIAL RETRACTED POSITION, THEREBY PERMITTING THE FITTING AND THE SPOUT AS AN ASSEMBLED UNIT 